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Horticulture, livelihoods, and urban transition in Africa: evidence from South‐West Cameroon

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  • Laurent Parrot
  • Clovis Dongmo
  • Michel Ndoumbé
  • Christine Poubom

Abstract

This article documents change in periurban horticulture using repeat surveys in 1995 and 2004 of about 300 households around Muea, Cameroon. Real household incomes increased by 14%, with a large shift from farm to nonfarm income. Within agriculture, activity shifted from staple crops to horticulture, both for sale and in home consumption. In 1995, there were large remittances from farmers involved in periurban horticulture to their village of origin; in 2004 remittances continued and horticultural farmers were also heavily involved in informal financial associations. Periurban horticulture is disproportionately practiced by women and older workers, and plays an important and growing role in African livelihoods.

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  • Laurent Parrot & Clovis Dongmo & Michel Ndoumbé & Christine Poubom, 2008. "Horticulture, livelihoods, and urban transition in Africa: evidence from South‐West Cameroon," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(2), pages 245-256, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:39:y:2008:i:2:p:245-256
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-0862.2008.00330.x
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    2. Urcil Papito Kenfack Essougong, 2017. "Urban and peri-urban agriculture in Cameroon: Status and perspectives for development [Agriculture urbaine et peri-urbaine au Cameroun: Etats des lieux et perspectives de développement]," Post-Print hal-01651904, HAL.
    3. Benyong Wei & Guiwu Su & Yingkui Li & Yuling Ma, 2019. "Livelihood Strategies of Rural Households in Ning’er Earthquake-Stricken Areas, Yunnan Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-18, October.

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